queenraven

While I had a good experience on my first camp out, I do not like the fact that every place opened at midnight. It's just a horrible time. I saw a very upset employee, but other than that most people were in good spirits. The number one thing I can impart to retailers from a consumer's perspective is BE SUPER ORGANIZED. It was a night and day experience between BB and Old Navy. BB employees were knowledgeable and the store had a clear plan. They let people inside in waves, they gave out vouchers. It was an easy experience. Old Navy was chaos with just as many confused workers as shoppers. It was packed to tightly and the registers were not moving fast enough.

Sweet, it's black Friday saga time! For the first time in BF history spanning 9 years, I camped out. Which really means I had a chair and lots of blankets. Anyway, I jumped into the Best Buy line at around 8pm Wednesday night. I was probably around #25 or so and I had a fantastic time. Lots of cool people out. We had a really cold night and a very hot day (It's Ga, ya'll). The news came out and interviewed a couple of folks. (You can see my back in one of the shots). Best Buy supplied 2 port-a-potties (THANK YOU) and we managed to keep them clean and usable. Our only drama came from a guy who had come in hours earlier than me, set 2 chairs and left. Management told us that the chairs can be moved to the end of the line if guy isn't there. We gave him a few hours after I came to show back up, but by midnight (we were being generous since 12 am is about 7 hours after he put his chairs down) we moved him down. At 6 am the next day, he shows up looking for his chairs. When he finds them, he puts them back in their original spot and leaves AGAIN. He hasn't spent more than 5 minutes out here and I just sat through 30 degree temps overnight. So, of course, we moved him again. But this time we put his chairs all the way at the end of the plaza. The next time the guy shows up is 11 hours after the 6 am visit. He, again, tries to move his chairs back and that's when words are exchanged between him and many of the folks near where he is trying to jump in. No fighting happened, just raised voices (and the cops called in to make a complaint). He refused to go to the back of the line until he talked to management. Management didn't arrive until 8 pm Thursday night and by then the line was snaking around the plaza. The manager didn't bother talking to him until after the police arrived so they could put him out of the line with minimal trouble. He was told he could shop, but he wouldn't be allowed any of the doorbusters and he should immediately move to the back of the line. Now, if he had just gone to the back when he came back that last time, he would have been in the top 40-50 people. Now, all that being recounted, I got the very last 42" Sharp for $199. I also purchased a stick vac and an mp3 player for dd. I was in and out in 15 mins. The employees were fantastic. My line mates were fantastic and everything went well for the most part. Then I went to Old Navy. That was a hot mess. I managed to make it inside within the first 30 mins of opening, but the peacoats I was going for were decimated. I gathered the few items I wanted and just watched the line for a bit. They weren't moving anywhere and the employees were having a difficult time just trying to manage it all. Then I heard a crash! One of the employees had toppled over a mannequin and was screaming at someone (a customer maybe?) She was crying and lots of people started shouting. They gathered her up and took her away. That was when I decided it might be a little too soon to be here, so I bundled up my finds (I had finally found a cool coat I wanted that someone had just dropped) and hid them in the men's section and left. I went to Walmart for those neat picture frames and a telescope for DD. They didn't have either of the items. But as I was leaving the store, I noticed a telescope AND a picture frame I wanted just sitting in a pile of abandoned stuff! So, I snagged it and no one tried to kill me. Back to Old Navy, the line is moving a bit this time, although people I saw before I left were still there. My stuff was still intact and I got in line. But I was so exhausted and I just wanted to get home. I abandoned my stuff again (without hiding it this time) and went home. Lo and behold, I logged into oldnavy.com before I went to bed and was able to order everything I had in my hands previously...with free shipping. So, I got everything I wanted. Now I am home and thinking about sleeping again.

I was at Douglasville, Ga and they had less than 30 tvs. I received the last voucher! I was online starting 8pm Wednesday. My first camp out!

Thank you soo much. It was driving me insane not being able to read that.

Can anyone read the model number/sku number on that Sharp tv?

Well, after the stuff I bought online Thanksgiving, I set out for Wal-Mart at 10pm. I just wanted to scope the place and see if anyone was there. Found some folks camping the plastic wrapped pallets so I decided to stay. No one was putting anything in their carts until 12:01. There were cops and employees everywhere! As soon as someone said go, there was a frenzy (which I felt was weird since we were all standing directly in front of what we wanted...) I got the $39 bike for dh, 2 sets of $4 pjs, a $5 sleep shirt for dh, and a sweater for me (can't remember how much). I checked out the movies but nothing screamed buy me. There was a line camped around the store and I thought it would take forever, but then I went to the other side of the store and was 3rd in line in a 20 items or less. So, the whole trip took me about 40 mins. Then I went to Target and was about 30 people back. I was waiting on one item...there were people lined up at the cars who looked like they were waiting their chance to jump line, but Target security was out in force and blocked them from being able to do it. After waiting in line for 3 hours, I made a beeline for the movies looking for the Ultimate Edition Harry Potter Year 3 and I couldn't find any! Not that people had grabbed them, just that they weren't part of the display. I asked an employee and he told me to check the regular shelves. I did that and couldn't find them there either. Needless to say, I am a bit miffed at this point as I haven't slept in 24 hours and I still had to make a 400 mile trip later that day! I found that same employee and told him there were none on the shelf and he kindly looked it up. Turns out, they had pulled them ALL to the stock room. He promptly went to get me one. Don't advertise it if you aren't going to put them out!!

I've done 2 online orders today before I set out for Wal-Mart's midnight sale: On Macys site, I got the Martha Stewart 2.5 qt dutch oven (16.99...with a 15% off code for Martha Stewart products) Which is: MARTHARCCS for anyone who cares. Then 2 John Ashford shirts for dh. The sale says 2 for $20, but it gave me $10 off for ordering 2, so it cost me $16 for those 2 shirts. And a sweater for dh ($19.99). Then at Lowes.com I got a Werner 6' ladder for $19.99. Best part besides the great price is that I can pick it up in store for free! So, I will stop by there after all the crazy has died down.

Where in the world is everyone shopping that you have to wait days to get into a store?! What city? What stores? The longest I have had to wait is 3 hours! Of course, I have always been in small towns. This year, I am still in a small town, but I am VERY close to Atlanta...I could give it a try if I was feeling brave enough. lol

We just bought a house last month, so this year we will be going light on the gifts. So, just household stuff we might need and possibly a new tv. It isn't necessary, but our tv is a little small for the space. Of course, I will have to get myself a Sony Touch Reader no matter what and DD will be getting the majority of stuff. We are traveling for the first time at Christmas, so no need to have lots of stuff.

That's just ugly and horrible journalism.

Yeah, I caught that earlier when I logged on to look at the BF ads for my area. That PS2 game pack is awesome.

Yep, I am of the bed on the floor camp. My 3-year old may graduate to a framed bed next year. :)

I went to Wal-Mart tonight and found about 5 titles already on sale for $6.88. I purchased Big Top Letter Circus/What Will You Be with microphone (those were bundled together for $6.88). Other titles I saw: Toy Story 2, Bounce Tigger Bounce, Math, and a Puzzle set with 2 puzzles. I hope that helps anyone who was out to buy them.

Nadda in my paper. I was sad...oh well.

I just got my copies in the mail today! Grand total was $34.37, but I had to pay taxes. It was soo worth it, though. I don't have a Best Buy anywhere near me.

Anybody know for sure if any of these deals will be available after midnight online? I live in the middle of nowhere when it comes to good shopping....I is sad....

aww, man...awww, man. That's a good deal.

oops, it's Dragon Quest VIII. It hasn't been released yet, but maybe someone knows of a good coupon to use when I buy it?

Anybody?

new coupon that works (I don't know if it works for every magazine..): AMAZBARDEC

That's awesome. I hope I get it in print.

Congrats! That rocks!

That's awesome work. I did Sears last year and got a $10 card. Not to mention the fact that I also found an unused card on the floor...woot! I didn't have to pay for any of my stuff last year.

Excellent. I thought it was something like that. Well, since we get the ads early, we can run in and check for the item we want. If it's on the shelf snag it!

Arrested Development would make my hubby very happy!